Tonga Parliament hosts Floating Budget Office (FBO) workshop to strengthen civil society engagement in budget scrutiny

A half-day workshop was held yesterday at the Parliament Chamber in Nuku’alofa to strengthen Civil Society Organisations’ (CSOs) understanding of Tonga’s national budget process.

The initiative, part of the Floating Budget Office (FBO), seeks to foster meaningful engagement with public finance management while promoting greater transparency, accountability, and citizen participation.

The New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, H.E. Matthew Howell, officially opened the event. In his remarks, he reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to supporting the Tongan Parliament and other Pacific parliaments through its partnership with UNDP.

“Effective parliaments are the foundation of representative democracy. Transparent and accountable use of public resources is critical. Better budget scrutiny and financial oversight lead to improved health and education outcomes, as well as stability and prosperity,” he said.

Mr. Howell noted that New Zealand has invested $15 million into this regional parliamentary strengthening program, which includes support for the FBO, induction and training of new MPs, and initiatives to increase women’s political participation such as She Leads Fale Alea and the Women’s Practice Parliament. He also highlighted New Zealand’s close partnership with the New Zealand Parliament, which provides technical support and capacity building to Tonga’s Legislative Assembly.

Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni, warmly welcomed participants and acknowledged the valuable role CSOs play in monitoring budget implementation, advocating for inclusive policies, and holding government accountable for public spending.

The former Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to the Government of New Zealand for its support through UNDP’s Pacific Parliamentary Effectiveness Initiative (Phase III), which underpins the work of Tonga’s FBO.

Yesterday’s workshop further strengthened CSO representatives’ understanding of the Government’s 2025/26 budget, including the Budget Statement, Estimates, and Ministries’ Corporate Plans.

Participants thanked the Legislative Assembly for opening the process to civil society and stressed the importance of closer collaboration with government ministries to ensure their inputs are considered in the national budget.

Committee Secretary ‘Ilaisaane Vaihū of the Legislative Assembly Office provided a briefing on the Floating Budget Office budget documents, while senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Planning Division of the Prime Minister’s Office also delivered presentations at the workshop.

Earlier this year, the Legislative Assembly hosted a similar session for MPs, blending in-person and remote technical analysis. Yesterday’s workshop builds on that effort by engaging CSOs, providing them with tools to better understand public policy and contribute to budget scrutiny.

The Tonga FBO is part of a broader Pacific Parliament-led initiative, funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade through UNDP. This marks the eighth budget analysis mission under the program.